By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Bacolod City Veterinary Office (CVO) yesterday stopped distributing anti-rabies vaccines after it was revealed the office was down to its final 300 vaccinations.

In a radio report yesterday, Rabies Control Officer Gloria Parreño said they were forced to stop due to the shortage, pointing out, deliveries were delayed this month.

The Department of Health (DOH), meanwhile, stated the reason for the delay was due to problems with the supplier from India.

According to a report last month, the Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office (PHO) disclosed the number of rabies cases in the province is on the rise.

According to PHO rabies program coordinator Rafael Marmolejo III, there were a total of 18,910 rabies cases recorded in 2017, an increase from the 14,823 animal bite cases from the previous year, an increase of 22.5 percent.

He also noted, Negros Occidental ranked first among human rabies deaths in the region for 2016 and 2017./DGB, WDJ